I'm having a Snow Day today... but not after actually driving to work, doing something for a half-hour to make it worthwhile, and then driving home! We're not getting as much snow as predicted, but it's very windy and that makes driving difficult due to visibility issues.

So, I'm working on a little of this and a little of that (mostly business/tax related stuff), and will also be taking some time for some FUN!

It was all about the movies last week/weekend! Oscar nominations were announced on Tuesday; on Wednesday, we watched Roma (10); on Thursday I bought tickets for next month's Best Picture Festival; on Saturday I watched The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (3), and on Sunday First Reformed (1). Roma won't be shown at BPF because it wasn't a theatrical release, and instead/new we will see the nominees for the Short Films (Live Action & Animated) at the beginning of each day, and I'm excited about that! There is a lot of crossover in nominations, especially when all of the BP films have been nominated in at least five and up to 10 different categories. There are a few biggies, though, that I'm going to need to find/stream somehow: At Eternity's Gate (local boy Willem Dafoe/Lead Actor), The Wife (Glenn Close/Lead Actress), Can You Ever Forgive Me (Melissa McCarthy/Lead Actress and Richard E. Grant/Supporting Actor), and If Beale Street Could Talk (Regina King/Supporting Actress). Without sounding too much like a nut, I'd also like to see Cold War and First Man. There are some other nominated films that I won't see at BPF, haven't already seen, or haven't listed... but arguably, not very many.

Also on Saturday, I visited our brand new LYS! Casting On had their soft opening, which I've been eagerly awaiting since I learned about it on the day my former LYS closed. The owners, Sara & Sam, are super warm & friendly, and I can't wait to watch as they all progress and grow... and Make.Do has been invited to take up some shelf space!

There's been a bit of a Malabrigo drought around here, though, so I fixed that! Those left two hanks are WASHTED worsted-weight, and I think they'll become a sweater for a certain little granddaughter who will be turning one in < two months!

There was a little website update over the weekend and an even tinier one this morning with some fresh-from-the-pot yarn:

Check it out: Make.Do! The yarn in the top photo reminds me of last year's Best Picture winner, The Shape of Water, so that's what it's called!

It was VERY cold (1ºF), but I couldn't help it! That cold temperature meant that the sky was crystal clear... and how often is there a Super Wolf Blood Moon??

These are not-so-great photos from my phone, but not bad considering... I love the colors of the moon and how it looks sort of painted.

I hope you had a great weekend! Other than having the kids for a while on Saturday afternoon/evening while Kate & Al went on a "sister date," I just sort of plunked along... not quite at 100% yet, but slowly improving. I predict that by the time Friday -- and the start of a 3-day weekend -- rolls around, I'll be feelin' fine. :)

OK. This is going to be a super random dump of odds & ends that have been swirling in my brain...

It was kind of a crazy long holiday around here, beginning right after Thanksgiving with Maddy's arrival & Viv's visit. We celebrated, more or less (something/anything/everything), all of December, right through Christmas, and continuing with Ann & family's arrival for a few days just before the end of the year.

Mack picked up right where he left off last summer... with a baby in his arms! He's so sweet on her. It's adorable!

We made two visits to a new-to-us and spectacular indoor pool/rec center while Ann was here, once with Ali & the kids, and once with friends (above). Junah's going to be 5 years old in 5 days... and he looks it, doesn't he?!

We played a lot of Bananagrams!

It sure is a fun game. Maddy called me over to see one particular word she'd made...

All day long on New Year's Day, I was thinking "begin as you mean to go on," but I also just needed to chill, y'know?

One thing that I did do was the refashioning of a thrift store find -- rescued from the Clearance Rack (at the thrift store, so it was maybe $1.50). I don't know why it was on clearance -- well, actually, yes I do... it had sewn-on ribbing at the hem & cuffs that gathered the fabric and at the wrist and made for a bubble-butt look that wouldn't be flattering on anyone! I really liked the fabric and the size/length and thought for all of one second about whether to buy & re-work it. It took a while, but it was so easy to cut off the ribbing and turn up/sew new hems. I've been wearing it almost everyday since!!

I was pretty awful with picture-taking over the holidays... the one above isn't even mine (credit to Ali!). It tells the story, though: it was a chaotic & fun holiday season with the very best people. ❤️

Finally, the last wrap-up of 2018, I think... my Top Songs on Spotify. My #1 artist was, again, Gregory Alan Isakov, followed by The National, Amber Run, Lord Huron, and Langhorne Slim; and my favorite subgenre was the rather esoteric "Indie Folk."

They made me a playlist of my Top 100 songs... don't let "indie folk" scare you, it's a crazy fun mix of music! I was playing it yesterday and Katie asked about a few songs she was (surprisingly) unfamiliar with, eventually declaring it a "solid" playlist, which I consider high praise! Haha. Anyway, have a listen... maybe you'll find something new to like, too!

I didn't even finish talking about the weekend before last-- Sunday, anyway -- in which I took this:

...(plus a few more pieces) to THIS:

It took a lot longer than I'd hoped (I had a LOT more things on my to-do list) (still do), but it's done and I love it!

_ _ _ _ _

Last weekendstarted on Thursday evening with the first Christmas party of the season with the gang from work, and continued with a company-paid day off on Friday! I needed it, too, since I didn't have a regular day off last week. I did exciting things like get my oil changed & a tire repaired, picked up & dropped off packages at the coffee shop & visited with Ali for a while, went to the grocery store and Target. Woohoo! Those are all things that needed to be done, though, and I basically got paid to do them.

One of my first real jobs was as a typesetter, though I didn't even know that's what I was doing at the time, and it was the very dawn of computer typesetting, so I never actually worked with block letters/art and real leading before. I just flipped switches to get the amount of leading I wanted between lines of type, and actually typed on a keyboard (mostly) instead of plucking individual letters from a type drawer. Either way, what was being produced was not the end-game... it was all destined for the printer! And though I never printed a darn thing in my life, I was in that environment for many years... and, coincidentally, Rusty owned a print shop at one time (long before I met him), and my brother also worked in various print shops for many years.

So this experience was both very familiar and very new!

We each had our own little sign press & galley with various tools, some ink & a supply of paper, and a good selection of type and art from which we could choose. I never actually thought about what I'd actually make/print, so I went seasonal first and went from there... here are a few examples of my work:

OMG. It was SO MUCH FUN!!!

I can't stop thinking about it, so I guess that means that a full-day (at least) workshop is in my future! Time was limited, so I really didn't spend much of it away from my own press, but I did take a peek at Rusty's project:

Well, he is an artist!

Edited to add: Rusty showing off one of his prints on the Hamilton Wood Type IG feed!

I am smack dab in the middle of a long weekend, heading to Minneapolis today for the Gregory Alan Isakov concert this evening. We'll hit a couple of museums tomorrow* before heading home.

I did some dyeing over the weekend... indigo and more! I barely spent two seconds in my basement dye studio over the summer, and it was a year ago that we were getting it all set up... I guess autumn/winter is my time down there!

*I cast my ballot weeks ago so I wouldn't have to worry about making it home in time! Fingers crossed!!

I continued to take it as easy as possible over the weekend! My shoulder continues to improve, but man does it ever ache sometimes! I'm amazed at how exhausting it is to be in constant pain and constantly aware of an injury and limitation. It was very helpful to have two days away from my desk/computer. Even though I vary my position... it's really not much of a variance. I sit and (comfortably) hold the mouse this way or that way, keyboard this far away or that far away. Heh. It feels so good to stretch out on the bed with my arm extended on and supported by a pillow, but I can't do that all day long! It's also been quite helpful to have someone willing to massage the area everyday... until today! Rusty's in Door County teaching a class at The Clearing Folk School all week, so I've made an appointment for a pro deep-tissue massage tomorrow evening. That'll be a great segue into my mid-week day off. I'm also hoping for some solid advice from the massage therapist. "Taking it easy" doesn't mean that I have been idle; I've been moving and stretching everyday, pushing but not too hard! Yesterday afternoon, I was able to put my hair in a ponytail without first lifting my arm to support it against a door frame -- with few twinges -- that's progress, and progress that I'd like to continue, and maybe she can help.

I spent a little farmer market time with Malina on Saturday -- at the market, at the nearby antique mall, then at home.

We went up to visit Kate when Ali came over. I love how fabulously Kate & Malina coordinate with the porch sofa and with each other -- a study in reverse stockinette!

This little dumpling is starting to longingly gaze at food... all but reaching out & grabbing some. Getting close though, and with the teeth, too; she gnawed on my thumb for a good 15 minutes yesterday.

We had so many compliments on her little sweater when we were out. I'm excited to finish mine, though the knitting isn't exactly flying off the needles right now. I've been keeping at it as best I can without overdoing it (hopefully). I stopped just shy of binding off my second mitered square last night*, but finished it off this morning, and hope that I can get all the ends woven in and get them soaking yet this evening -- they'll be off to Philly on Tuesday or Wednesday at lastest (one or two days past my personal deadline). I try to vary my position while knitting, too, and take much more frequent breaks that I'm used to. Bleh.

I spent Sunday afternoon out at Ali's at a little party she had for her employees & families -- but no photos! There were so many kids, including two newborns, and it was just fun to hang out. Ali had some activities, including stringing "O" cereals to make a necklace; the string she had was quite limp, though, and quickly frustrating to try and get it through a tiny sugar-crusted hole. I lamented that I didn't have my tote/knitting with me, but then recalled that I'd long ago stashed a few "emergency knitting notions" in my wallet -- and voila! I came up with the perfect needle to save the day. Ha ha!

*While watching the incredible resurrection of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' second-half comeback to WIN THE GAME 24-23 (down 20-0 at halftime) after Aaron had been injured and carted off the field in the first half!

I helped Kate move some big stuff (specifically, her mattress) from the storage unit to the apartment, so Maddy could take over the guest room over the weekend. There are still a few big things to move, but the weather's been awful and Kate needs to return the borrowed truck... because she's leaving this week on a road trip to L.A. with a friend.

(There is no moss growing under that girl.)

(Any of my girls.)

The weekend was largely spent in the company of this crew, give or take...

That's not the best photo, technically speaking, but the SMILES show through loud & clear... and that makes it THE BEST! We sure have fun together... and, yes, Mack is still completely smitten with that baby. He & Addie had a great week at camp, and Ann & Brian enjoyed their time away in NOLA!

Maddy had an excellent adventure with her campers, in & around the Apostle Islands for nearly two weeks, and it was so great to see her so happy & relaxed. They had great weather except for one day, and they had three bear encounters all on one day... YIKES! Get it over with!! She's bound for Oregon in 3 short weeks!

On Sunday, Kate & Al took the boys to see Christopher Robin. (They liked it... was a bit melancholy.) It was Junah's first experience at the theater since our unsuccessful go at Cars 3 over a year ago. At one point yesterday, Ali wrote, "Two potty breaks and one drink refill so far... never got so much exercise at a movie!" Haha.

Annie & I took charge of the girls for those few hours!

We took a walk, played with blocks, read some books... Annie napped with Malina... it was really great!

Despite the busy weekend, I managed to get a little "me" time, too.

I cast on and started auditioning/swatching my Rhinebeck Sweater! I've finished one of two swatches and still need to block, but stitch gauge is spot on so far... not so much with the row gauge. I'll need to figure out how crucial and/or what adjustments to make on this particular sweater... or choose a different one!

Apparently over-excited about how close I am to the bind-off, I dropped a section of stitches on the TTL Shawl late last night -- too late to really even think about fixing it (I think I can fix it); hopefully, that will get back on track this evening.

I never got around to adding the pockets to my FAME dress, either, but it's on the short list for Wednesday!

Ann & family are back in Madison for the next 10 days; then return for a final few days mid-August before their departure for Spain on the 21st. WHOOSH!

When you feel as though you had a 3-day weekend when it was actually just the normal 2-day variety, and that said weekend was largely spent with a (clean) houseful of people, including a 4mo, 2yo, 4yo, 11yo & 13yo, along with various adults, and that the weather wasn't always great -- and not to say that I wasn't absolutely exhausted at the end of each day -- but I'd say that was a pretty darn good weekend!

Ali sent me this photo on Friday and it's one of my favorites of the weekend -- Ann & fam gave the kids a set of superhero capes & masks and, OMG, I just love Jün's happy expression here!

And Mack...

...and Addie, too, with the baby!! Practically baby whisperers. She did not lack attention & cuddles, that's for sure!

I managed a moment or two, too. :)

The kids all played together MARVELOUSLY!!! It was pretty wonderful. I might still be a little in shock.

I managed to have Saturday & Sunday mornings mostly to myself, which I'm sure saved me.

I finished Junah's shirt -- buttonholes & buttons (from my mom's button tin). The buttonholes could be a wee bit bigger, and I'm hoping that they'll loosen up a bit. It was a complete failure of the buttonhole function that sent my machine to the shop last time and I could tell that it's still a touchy operation. I will need to seriously start looking for its replacement (it seems a daunting task).

Next step: a photo shoot with all three kids in their Mickey duds + one other wardrobe change. It's never too early to start sending good photo mojo, and crossing fingers!!

I managed some knitting, too! I'm closing in on the end of TTL Mystery Shawl Clue 4, with Clue 5 in hand, and the 6th & final clue due to be released on Friday. The general consensus in the Ravelry spoiler thread for this project is that it's been a real pleasure to knit and is incredibly beautiful to boot! I don't think I'm spoiling too much here, given that it's all jammed onto that straight needle. I've gathered that Clue 5 is the quickest to complete, so I might even have a chance to catch up! I was admiring my Blue Angel hosta through the front door yesterday and decided that it really wanted to be a backdrop for a knitting photo. Heh.

Annie wants to do some Christmas knitting, so we looked over a few patterns, chose some yarn & needles...

...and I gave her a refresher course! She learned to knit many years ago, but it's been a while. It was quite an interesting lesson as she knits continental and I throw, so I really had to concentrate and watch how she was forming her stitches (purls in particular) in order to iron out a couple of little problems. She took one project with her and hopes to make some progress (if not finish) before they return late next week. In the meantime, I'll wind & prep the others.

Maddy came home on Friday for a break from camp; she's stressed out as it's been a super tough summer -- too much work and no assistance (she's supposed to have an assistant) or support. It's just truth when I say that my girls have an incredible work ethic, and if she's feeling it enough to express it... it's bad, especially because she truly LOVES camp! Her saving grace is a trip coming up... fingers crossed, along with all the good thoughts, karma & juju!!

Anyway, I had a million things to do in the pre-cleaning/reclamation department, but I knew that offering my girls some SISTER TIME was way more important -- for all of them -- so I offered to take the kiddos on Saturday. Kate, Al & Mads went out to lunch, stopped at a hobby/craft shop, ran a few errands... and then came back for drinks, games & dinner.

Malina experiences full-on fart gun a la Ginny!

These two! Gah!! Junah was sitting on the step and Ginny sat down next to him... and then scooted over to be closer.

We took full advantage of my around-the-corner neighbor's invitation to help ourselves to her raspberry bushes. Junah doesn't really like them, so he gave me all that he picked, and then carried home a little handful for his mamma.

We actually had some rain on Friday, which meant a full ran barrel on Saturday!! So fun.

On Sunday, I hit the housework! I've been constantly reminding myself that it's a process... things aren't going to be perfect on Wednesday, but they'll be better and will improve each time. That's the plan, anyway!

BONUS! I found the fat quarters that I bought in Nashville last February! I've made a conscious effort to not let The Case of the Missing Fat Quarters drive me crazy over the past few months... they'd cross my mind now & then and I've even "looked" for them a little bit. Man, they were stuffed into a knitting project bag and I would never have looked for them there.

It's a normal week around here, except that Junah's sleeping over on Tuesday night and cleaning ladies are coming on Wednesday and I'll see my sister Ann & the boys (from Spain) by the end of the week! Woohoo!!

I drove down to O'Hare on Saturday to pick up Kate after her month in the U.K. We decided to stay overnight and chose the new (as in barely open a week) St. Jane for our accommodations. Formerly the Hard Rock Hotel, St. Jane is in Chicago's beautiful Carbide & Carbon Building and is named for Jane Addams.

Instead of a bible in every room, it was a biography!

The weather was fabulous and it was great to be outside!

We had a light lunch at the Purple Pig (of course) and dinner at Catch 35 (first time). I had those gorgeous scallops and Kate had a mixed grill.

We tried to get to a couple of (way up there) roof-top bars but most were busy with private events until late; we settled for a lower-level roof-topper with exorbitantly priced pre-mixed cocktails (which we didn't know were pre-mixed until they were poured). They looked & tasted pretty good but should have been half the price (and my glass should have been all the way full instead of 2/3, too... what's that all about?). /gripe

I had a great time with my girl!

We got up, had coffee and shared a blueberry muffin, and then head home. We were on the road by 10 and home before 2.

The girls came over for a little while, and everyone else came later for supper. It was a nice evening together!

Katie went to bed fairly early and I wound down with a couple of episodes of Anne with an E (I started on Friday and am bingeing hard -- love this show) and my TTL Mystery Shawl.

The photo is from Friday night, having barely begun Clue 2; as of last night, the first of two very enjoyable repeats is finished... and Clue 3 awaits!

The big kids were keeping cool as they saw fit (some in undies, at most, others in head-to-toe fleece -- which seems to hold a lot of water and it was cold, so... to each his own).

Also, cool big air-bubble knees!

Ginny & I both suffered injuries when I fell after saving her from a likely bump/fall off of the retaining wall. I'm the only one to actually spill blood; Gin's Minion band-aid (and unseen crocodile plaster) are purely decorative/placebo measures. Maddy, certified in First Aid because of her summer camp job, jumped right in to fix me up. Gin was obviously quite fascinated by the procedure, but Junah made a face after the application of hydrogen peroxide and bowed out. I'm just thankful that I didn't twist anything and that it's my left knee we're looking at and not the right; my right knee won't likely fare another grinder very well. (That big scar on my shin is where I met the bottom drawer of my filing cabinet at work last year. Yep, that hurt.)

It's nice having Maddy around for a few days while camp is on break for the 4th! It's still hot but, thankfully, not as humid today... so we'll take it. I hope you're faring well, too!

I spent a lot of time with kiddos over the weekend, but managed a little progress on a few of my projects in the "less hectic" periods. I cut out the pieces for another Geranium Dress, worked a little bit on another, and got started on my TTL Mystery Shawl!

Friday evening, out on the pergola, with an adult beverage -- ready to go! I am currently a bit more than half-way through the fourth of five repeats for Clue #1, and it is quite enjoyable (and beautiful) so far. I'm very happy with the change of yarn so far.

We took a shuttle bus from the library to get there... "On the buth," said Ginny with a grin. There was a demo of a few historic yard games that kids might have played in the 1850s, and we tried them all! Ginny and I joined in one of the dances, too!

The Trapezette Dress has been seeing lots of action. ;)

Ali filled in at work yesterday so a co-worker could attend a memorial & Rod had an afternoon gig, so I had all three!

Junah does not willingly pose for photos very often, but when he put on the life vest that he found in the shed, I suggested that we send a pic to Maddy and he was all for it. "Junah says that he's ready to go kayaking whenever you are!!"

Some of us (okay, one of us) napped a few times. We walked over to the park but Junah saw right away that there was no shade on the playground area, and it was hot outside, so we turned around and came home. They put on swimming suits and we had some water play interspersed with helping Grandpa with yard work, and general relaxing and goofiness.

Jün & Gin helped me spiralize some zucchini and Rusty grilled some turkey burgers and we all had a nice supper -- with ice cream for dessert (the kids seem to like "Grandpa's ice cream" best... plain ol' vanilla!).

We decorated the wire tree for the 4th of July.

I noticed an opportunity in the back yard and cajoled the kids (Junah) into a group photo...

With mixed results!

Can you believe it? Malina is 3 months old today!! All three kids have changed/grown so much!

It was definitely a high-energy, fun weekend and I wouldn't have had it any other way. This time is so brief, witness:

Just before the kids left on Thursday night, I remembered to have Gin try on her new dress so I could measure for the hem. I took care of that little detail on Saturday morning!

I guess I've got the sewing bug at the moment! I picked up a cute Disney fat-quarter bundle at Joann's a few weeks ago featuring Mickey Mouse -- I couldn't resist it then and it's been calling to me ever since! I had to listen...

I had a blast putting that together -- it's a Made By Rae Geranium Top for Malina. I made the 3-6 month size because she is growing!! It's the first one I've made with the pleated skirt variation.

There was enough fabric leftover that I thought I'd try to cobble it together, along with something from my meager fabric stash, to make a coordinating top for Ginny. I've made the bodice, which looks much the same as Malina's, and here's the skirt front underway:

I'm making the pleated skirt for this one, too, and it will also have POCKETS! The skirt back will be made entirely of the "extra" fabric. I originally wanted to use white for the "extra," but I didn't like the weight of it compared to the MM fabric, so... it's not perfect, but I think it'll be cute enough.

Ali sent a few photos this morning. I think that Malina can't take her eyes off of her new top!!

She brought the kids over last night for ice cream cones...

...to celebrate (Grand) Father's Day! I love how Malina's got her eyes on Ginny! Junah's all wet because he was dousing himself with a water bottle -- it was pretty hot & sticky yesterday.

So relaxed, and too cute!!

Let's see, what else... We went to a couple of art/music things on Friday evening. We did a run for some gravel on Saturday, and also to try and find a rain barrel that I liked; didn't find one, so ordered one that I hope looks as nice in person (we shall see on Thursday!). I had my first-ever 90-minute massage on Saturday, too, during which I may have fallen asleep once or twice, but also resulting in my arm/shoulder feeling SO MUCH better! And I didn't even know that my left kneecap was in so much need of attention until she started working it... aahhhhhh. It was true bliss.

I drove to Chicago & back on Friday to deliver Kate to ORD. She had a quick visit with some friends in Edinburgh (who she'll meet up with again for a side trip to Wales) and is currently relaxing & enjoying the beautiful scenery in the Scottish Highlands. (Follow along here on IG, if you'd like.) Lucky girl!

I spent much of the weekend cuddling & caring for Malina while her parents were busy at a local music festival. The Electric City Experience is in its third year, evolving a bit with each one.

Ali had the coffee camper there, and Rod had a few gigs -- including sitting in last-minute for a bass player who was busy becoming a dad!

I was just a short walk from festivities and, since Malina isn't a fan of bottle feeding, I could easily walk her down for a meal/snack (and her mama could take a little break, too).

That Lemon Rhubarb Italian Soda was delicious, with Ali's homemade rhubarb syrup -- tart with a little sweet & sparkle, just the way I like my beverages!

Maddy came home late Saturday afternoon for an overnight visit and it was perfect timing, as many friends were around, too. We all had fun socializing with folks we haven't seen in a while. And fireworks!

On Sunday, we met up with the "big kids" for a little festival brunch/lunch.

It doesn't get more groovy than that!

I'm pooped, but back to work (a looooong week) and making sure to carve out some "me" time.

I stopped by my LYS on the way home from work on Friday to find some buttons for the girls' sweaters.

I can't believe I still haven't sewn them on! It was a very busy weekend with lots of distractions and many things buzzing 'round my brain. I'll buckle down and get that done because, believe it or not, it has been sweater weather the past few days.

There was more bad news on Friday and, combined with Cristian's reading of the news, the piece by Annie Leue that we'd seen at the SAIC Student Show not even a week earlier came immediately to mind, prompting the post above. We did not see/hear Cristian's entire performance, but he later made a moving reply to my post on IG (click through for all the photos/comments).

Nothing against Harry & Meghan, but I just couldn't muster much enthusiasm for the wedding. I was happy to see a recap or two and some photos and, in hindsight, I probably would have enjoyed it... but not as much as my mother would have, and perhaps that was another reason for my lack of interest.

Instead, I had a fantastic day with Junah & Ginny on Saturday!

They brought over some new bikes to leave at my house and we rode around the 'hood to check on things... the remainder of the sewer/water work on a few streets over, the old water feature at a park a couple blocks away that's been on the docket for a (someday) re-do, the sad condition of sidewalks and settling earth due to the above sewer/water work that took place on our street last year. I called the City Engineer yesterday (again) and am awaiting a return call about when it'll all be fixed. They came up and put some safety barriers in a couple of places a few weeks ago, but even those are being swallowed up as things continue to deteriorate. It's not a good situation!

Ali came over with all the kids on Sunday, too, and we had a nice impromptu dinner together with Kate & Maddy.

This little one! She's wearing the Elwood cardigan that I made for Gin a couple of years ago -- it's a little big for her, but look at that cute pudgy rolled-up sleeve.

I think she's looking more and more "gingery" every time I see her! What do you think?

During a little chat with Ann in Spain on Sunday, I also talked with Addison for a bit and he sweetly asked about the baby. I told him that we're just beginning to see the hint of a smile now and then, but by the time they're here in July she'll be smiling ear-to-ear.

Work on the kids' clubhouse continues... there a door manufacturing operation in our basement over the weekend. The doorknob came from "the bucket o' knobs" that Rusty's collected/saved over the years. I think it'll soon be finished!

I discovered a couple of new-to-me beers:

The Gnam Gnam was very good. Had I known beforehand that it had mango I wouldn't have tried it, but I couldn't even tell... I did get a hit of the Thai chili and it was perfect! I also enjoyed the Lager of the Lakes -- more than I thought I would, actually. Also, the design of both of those cans is pretty spectacular!

Due to coworker scheduling, I had the day off yesterday instead of my usual Wednesday and noticed that it was VICTORIA DAY, so of course!!

I had a long overdue chiropractic adjustment yesterday and a long discussion with her about my tendonitis, which has become a sometimes very uncomfortable/painful shoulder situation, and between the adjustment and a couple of awareness things... it's feeling better today. Here's hoping for continued improvement!

I've had the itch to make another Alabama Chanin Swing Skirt and pawing through my stash of t-shirts, souvenir & otherwise, I came across one that I bought last year at La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and it was perfect! The embellishment could go either way because, y'know, GAUDI, but I'm keeping it simple... running stitch in black thread to outline each of the cathedral towers. I can always add more stitching later... at times it screams for beads!

Thanks for all the great comments about my patch job yesterday! It was a very methodical process and fun to learn. I neglected to mention that I have a few copies of that issue of Making (and some of the others) in the shop and would be happy to send them out into the world -- $24 (+ tax if in WI) + flat $5 shipping. Let me know if you're interested! (Someday I'll get the online commerce thing going.)

I took off from work at noon on Friday, ran a few errands, and then drove up to Fish Creek in Wisconsin's Door County Peninsula to spend a weekend with nine other members of my Book Club.

Provisions.

Our book club has been meeting for about 20 years. I've known, been acquainted, worked and/or socialized with some members for much longer than that, but most I know only because of the 2-3 hours when we share a dinner every couple of months and (usually) discuss a book that we've (more or less) all read (maybe).

Anyway, we've read a few books over the years by Wisconsin authors and/or set in our state, and a couple that were specific to Door County... which happens to be just not too far away... and somewhere along the line, a book club get-away was dreamed up! We found a spacious condo with plenty of room (and bathrooms).

This was our "backyard." There was still a little snow on the deck, but it was nice enough to sit out and soak up some Vitamin D on Saturday afternoon.

We were able to walk to dinner & cocktails at Bayside Tavern on Friday evening, and to breakfast at The Cookery (newly opened for the season!) on Saturday morning.

Our main event was a Door County Trolley's Wine, Spirits & Brew Tour on Saturday. We shared the trolley with another group of 10 women on their 3rd annual girls' weekend (which all began with a bridal shower), a group of three, and two couples.

They have a board at Starboard on which you can write suggestions for future brews and/or naming suggestions -- Lor Horny Hop and Hop Bop Bonino are from our group. :)

We stayed in on Saturday night, ordering take-away pizza from Wild Tomato and staying up late (again) playing games and laughing. I did less playing games and more knitting*... but still a LOT of laughing!

I'd been a little hesitant as the time approached (Inner Introvert: What did I get myself into???), but told myself it was only for a weekend (suck it up). I gave it a positive spin in my brain and decided that I would enjoy it... and I did. But I also had SO MUCH FUN! And RELAXING.

We packed up on Sunday morning and headed out of town for breakfast, ending up at The Log Den for their Sunday buffet... and what a wonderful stop that was! Family-built, -owned, and -operated, 76-year-old owner Wayne is still the head cook!

They also have a log home listed on VRBO and they invited us to go over to scout it out for next year!!

*Mixed results on the knitting... Friday's time was much better spent than Saturday's... more on that in a day or two, and probably an FO!

The weekend began late Friday afternoon with an overdue & much-needed massage and ended on Sunday evening with a mopping of the bathroom floor after the toilet tank spontaneously cracked! Apparently, it happened just moments before we took a break from watching the conclusion of Borderliner, when Rusty went in and I heard him start to swear (very unusual behavior!). I couldn't believe how much water & how quick, but thankfully we were on it right away. A new tank was ordered this morning; we'll be flushing with a bucket for the next week!

This is when a second bath, even half-, would sure come in handy!

In between, I did a little work on taxes, cleaned up my work table a little, did some sewing, celebrated 13 years QUIT, had breakfast out with my girls yesterday, and enjoyed the sunshine & warmer weather. It's about 20 degrees cooler today than yesterday, but I spy another weekend warm up. Let's hope!

I've had a little elbow/forearm pain/strain, which seemed to worsen a bit after a couple of hours of nonstop knitting on Thursday evening, so I gave knitting another weekend off.

I sent Ali home yesterday with some leftover fabric from my bathroom curtains and next thing I know she's posting an adorable little pinafore. She even sent me a Snapchat with Ginny modeling... SO CUTE!!

Ali dropped Jün off on Saturday evening, and I returned him almost 24 hours later.

Left to his own devices... 10.5 hours of snooze time!

His new favorite place is perched on the arm of my recliner, right next to my table of treasures -- scissors, cases, measuring tapes, stitch markers, knitting needles, tools, bits of yarn, patterns -- it is endless and fascinating to an almost 4yo.

We had a great time doing all sorts of things, including watching holiday shows (Thomas the Tank Engine and Mickey Mouse), doing laundry (he's great at matching socks!), and putting some finishing touches on the Christmas tree.

As mentioned yesterday, I did a little cleaning & organizing. I identified two specific areas in desperate need of attention.

This is a lovely old but rickety bamboo shelf unit in a corner of the kitchen that used to see a bit more action because it's where the phone is located. You can see a couple of phone books; they've never been cracked, so they're now in Recycling. There's also a personalized Phone List, which I had on the computer and used to updated on the regular, but it's been YEARS, so also recycled. Pens, pencils, paper, calendars, recipes, a few (ahem) greeting cards, cycling stuff.

It's not perfect, but it's better. I added a LOT to the recycling bin yesterday. The phone is still "located" here, but it's unplugged more often than not. The only reason it's still on the wall is because it would leave a mark if removed, and I'm not prepared to deal with that right now. Because of "bundling," it's cheaper to have the phone than not... it's probably even cheaper if I added cable TV back in... but all I really want is internet. The phone drives me nuts, even with Nomorobo activated, and it makes me feel ill when I think about surfing through all those cable channels that I don't care about; it's been 6 or 7 years since I cut that cord, and I don't miss it a bit.

This is an old drop-leaf table that Rusty had when we got married. It's located just kitty-corner from the shelf above. It usually starts out with some sort of display, but quickly becomes a catch-all!

I even found some Christmas stuff (from the contingent in Spain) from last year!

I finished seaming my Abulón cowl at Knit Night on Thursday, and gave it a soak yesterday. It was on our bed to dry, but it's going to take a while, so moved it to the upstairs bedroom. Maybe a Unraveled Wednesday debut??

As part of the ongoing/seemingly never-ending water & sewer re-do in the neighborhood, Rusty was asked to open a window to make it easier getting the new lines into our basement. Hopefully, that work is happening today; if not today, then tomorrow.

That window hasn't budged an inch since we moved in 30+ years ago! It took a little convincing & leverage, but it was done. I was amused when Rusty climbed up on the outside sill. That wall he's standing on is at least 3' thick. Crazy.

Anyway, as a result of opening that window, say hello to my new dye studio! Well, it will be. Rusty had to get a bunch of other/unused stuff out of the way for those guys, too, leaving a bit of a blank slate. I had eyed up a different room in the basement for this purpose, but there were a few too many strikes/hurdles. I didn't really even consider this area until now (so THANKS to the ongoing/seemingly never-ending water & sewer re-do in the neighborhood???), but it has everything -- natural light, water, power. It just needs some cleaning up & prettifying! Ya-freakin-hoo. I've been dyeing a bit more lately and it's such a PITA having to pull everything out and put it all away every.single.time.

Speaking of which...

New project with little "windows" on the needles.

I'm not saying anything more about that now except hand-dyed mostly speckled yarn and, at the moment, I am living for the rare red-orange bits. More on Unraveled Wednesday -- which is also Day 1 of NaBloPoMo!! I'm actually bucking my usual m.o. of nearly 14 years (9th year of NaBloPoMo) and planning some posts in advance!

There it is, a window into my world right now. Hope you had a great weekend!

Was full of color! I love the golden glow right now; the leaves are falling fast, though.

I played around with some yarn & color on Saturday morning while I watched the Rhinebeck parade on social media...

And gave my Arrows a soak (more on that -- an FO -- very soon)!

There was also a little sunshine in the form of a finished MDK Log Cabin Warshrag, which I finally finished on Sunday; #1 from the Field Guide, with an extra 6 rows all the way around. It measures about 9.5 x 10".

There was some interesting mail. Pieces have begun arriving from around the globe (this one from Germany) for a new show that Kate's putting together.

On his way home from a week-long teaching gig in Door County, Rusty found an old envelope in an abandoned house... I loved the stamp & postmark. They don't make 'em like they used to.

And family. That kitty is pretty wary of the kids, but Grandpa helps keep everyone calm.

Gin had her first haircut recently -- sort of a "bob" -- and it's just adorable!!

Rusty & I skipped town just as soon as we were able on Friday, headed north to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a quick weekend getaway.

We stayed in a little cottage at Lakeshore Resort on South Manistique Lake that I'd found on Airbnb. After stopping for dinner and crossing from Central to Eastern time, we didn't arrive until about 11pm... unpacked and went to bed, set for a full day ahead!

It stormed on both Friday & Saturday nights, and was rainy & wet on Saturday, but we managed to do the things & go the places we'd wanted (and then some), and the colors were beautiful! I brought along this pair of Merrell clogs that Ann had given me when she moved to Spain. I'd never worn them and almost gave them back to her over the summer, but I'm so glad I didn't! They were perfect for some of the "squish" hiking we did, but comfy & cute, too; that's always where I'm at in regards to shoes, no matter the occasion! ;)

I'll be back with more -- details & photos (so many photos)! I hope you had a great weekend!

On Friday night, we bit the bullet and finally ordered a new fridge! I've only been yearning/threatening about this for years. Our current fridge is the last of the original appliances that Rusty & I bought in 1985. The fridge space in our kitchen is quite limited, though, and it hasn't been easy to find a style both that I like and that fits.

Early Saturday morning -- at 2:22am, to be specific -- I woke up and wondered how we were going to get the new fridge into the space! And, for that matter, how we'd get the old one out! I just glossed over all of the info I saw about that, I guess, because if I finally found a fridge that more or less* fit into the space, there was no question that it was going to happen. Period. I spent an hour tossing & turning, barely able to keep from getting up & grabbing a tape measure (the first thing I did when the sun came up), and we definitely have a pickle. It can come in the front door and it's a straight shot to the kitchen from there, but it'll be all hands on deck to lift it over the island (pretty sure the delivery guys will have no part of that)! Ditto the old.

*Um, yes. There's a cabinet above the fridge that's going to be reconfigured. I spent some time on Saturday cleaning out & organizing the pantry cupboard so that I could empty that cabinet for removal.

Hopefully, we'll take delivery on Thursday afternoon/evening. Stay tuned, though, because the heavy equipment is making its way ever closer and we already had a UPS driver unable to navigate to our house one day last week.

In other news -- SURPRISE!! I spent some time with a couple of super-cute kids!

The weather was great, so we spent a lot of time outside -- walking/scootering to the park, playing on the playground, eating hot dogs & burgers (there was a baseball tournament going on so lots of kids, and the concession stand was open). When we got back home, we gathered walnuts in the back yard and chucked them into the ravine, had some fun with chalk & water (it's been a favorite activity this summer), changed clothes & threw in a load of laundry, and had some fun indoors.

I owe Junah a new pair of shoes! Ali just bought these the day before... he used them for scooter brakes.

The ball got rolling over the weekend in my workroom, too. I spent a few really good hours getting things cleaned up & organized, and making plans. I frogged one project, and wound yarn for another (that's been on my mind for months). There's plenty more to do but I'm feeling great about the progress!

I hope you had an almost perfect -- or maybe even perfect -- weekend, too!

But I'm not one of them! I can't wait for tomorrow's transition, when it will be only 82°F, on the way to a more seasonable mid-60s to 70 to close September.

All kinds of new paint, flags, and stakes have appeared over the past week along my 2-block-long street, and soon things will be happening! This is at the other end, and something of a staging area with all kinds of heavy equipment, job trailer, pipe, new fire hydrants, etc. It's been quite a project and we've been dealing with water pressure issues from time to time. On Saturday, I thought I'd take advantage of a short window of opportunity and get some yarn dyed. I cleaned up my work area, got everything out, and... no water! Zero!! Apparently, there was a break in a water main. Blah. So much for that opportunity.

I watched the kids for a few hours on Saturday afternoon. We took a couple of hot & sticky walks/rides outside. Junah was excited to show me the "pumpkin patch" in the neighborhood (some gourds spilling onto the sidewalk), and where the switches are on some nearby railroad tracks. There was a little water in the sandbox/table, and Gin didn't even mind when Jün poured a little on her back. I kept suggesting that a bath would sure feel good, but they weren't buying it.

On Saturday evening, Rusty & I cleaned up a bit and headed out to the Gala Opening of The Forst Inn in Tisch Mills. It's actually a re-opening, after having closed in 2014 after nearly 150 years. Rusty was invited to check it out as a potential future exhibitor in the new art gallery. I knew a couple of people in/related to the band, too, so it was fun.

Photo is courtesy of Kate! She spent a bit of time at home over the weekend... doing laundry, running errands, and watching a football game on Sunday afternoon!

Prior to game time, I took some time for a bit of stitching/embellishing. This is a small, crazy-fun piece that I'm working on somewhat stealthily at the moment... I've enjoyed taking these weird, sort of abstract close up photos of the project all along, and look forward to sharing them someday!

During the game, I finished the first tail of Woman Must Make Her Own Arrows. There was just enough daylight left to dash out and take a photo! There are some amazing finished projects, and certainly among my favorites is the designer Larissa's! I hope I like wearing mine even half as much as I've enjoyed knitting it. It's really a fun project. Stitches are picked up for the other tail... I have no idea what will evolve.

I received an invitation to a baby shower that will be held next month... that's plenty of time for some baby knitting. Now to decide on a project!

I watched the kiddos on Friday night while Ali & Rod went out for a bit. Usually they come to my house, but this time I went over there.

They play pretty well "together" sometimes! I love listening to Junah chatter when he plays... narrating what's happening. Gin's wearing her new favorite dress!

Maddy's friend Taryn has her pilot's license and keeps her plane at a small privately owned airport in the area, where she won a raffle to host a picnic/party on Saturday. Maddy was invited and I got to tag along! There was go-carting (electric, clean, quiet) -- super fun and something I haven't done in decades; a small bowling alley (I did not bowl); airplane & helicopter rides, along with food & beverages.

I went up with Jim in this two-seater Cessna 150. My dad had a 170, I think, when I was little; it was slightly larger -- with a back seat roomy enough for three little girls aged 4 & 3. Jim was ready to sign me up for flying lessons! I really do love to fly, but I'm not in the market for another expensive and time-consuming hobby! Haha. Sorry Jim.

Maddy is ready for take off, complete with aviators!

I think that was my first time in a helicopter -- the first that I remember, anyway. I sure love the shapes, colors, and textures from up there.

While Rusty & I caught up on a little TV Saturday night, I scratched the Log Cabin Itch™ that's been plaguing me for a couple of weeks. This is the first basic recipe in the new Mason-Dixon Field Guide No. 4: Log Cabin, though I did my own thing with the colors. I think I'm going to make it just a wee bit bigger. And knit a few more... I have so much cotton!

I putzed a bit on Sunday, cleaning up a bit... and stitching.

I'm working on a fish and giving it some bling... resembling scales, I hope. I've done a little work with sequins before, but nothing like this... learning new techniques from sites about "sewing for belly dancers"! Of course!!

And I did some laundry.

I did something -- a few things -- really dumb the other day. First, while switching an empty bottle of olive oil for a full one, I accidentally threw away the cap for the new one -- really away, as in the big bin outside. I didn't realize that I'd thrown away the wrong cap until, second, I tried lifting the new bottle of oil by the cap... that came right off, of course, and the bottle tipped and there was a big spill on the stove. I didn't even realize until a little while later that it had also splashed on me -- a big splash! I was wearing the shirt shown above, a favorite and one of the first Alabama Chanin-style garments that I made (over three years ago!). It splashed on one side, all the way from the second row of circles to the fourth, about 2.5 inches at the widest point. Third, once discovered, I took off the shirt and set it aside... so dumb! The kids were over, the kitchen was full, I was cooking... so distracted... but I just set the shirt neatly aside in the laundry room and then the oil stain on the front of the shirt proceeded to SOAK THROUGH TO THE BACK!! Gah.

Why try to remove one oil stain when you could remove TWO??

Eventually, I got back to it and discovered what had happened... soaked it good with pre-treatment spray. Washed it. Naturally, it was still there.

A few years ago, when we'd gone to Todos Santos, I leaned over the sink there and got what I thought was water on my shirt (an Eileen Fisher shirt), but turns out it was actually oil that Rusty had spilled from a can of tuna! Um, I was not happy. He did everything he could to get that stain out, and eventually called a dry cleaner and pleaded with them to share the secret to oil stain removal. They said, as last resort, brake fluid... actually, almost any other "oily" substance would work!

Anyway, this was such a big spill, I just pulled out the big gun right away... and it ALMOST worked. I'd brilliantly posted the photo on Instagram and it was looking very promising at the time. But once dry, I could still see the stain. Among the suggestions made was Dawn dishwashing liquid of different types. I happened to have some Dawn Platinum Erasing Dish Foam at the kitchen sink, so I soaked front & back really good with that and let it sit for a while. Kate was stopping over (upon her return from Denver) to have dinner and throw in a load of wash... which I knew would be black. :)

Ali & I had talked about taking the kids to Kites Over Lake Michigan, but it was raining by the time she was finished at the market... and also pooped.

Instead, I decided to take the kids to Mulberry Lane Farm on Sunday -- gave her a break to do a few things (including take a nap). I think it was my first solo "outing" with both of them! It was a gorgeous day.

So much to see & do! I think that calf (above) was sniffing out some spills/crumbs in the stroller! There were chickens & chicks, a sow & piglets, a hog, cows, goats, sheep, geese, bunnies, a great hayride, pony rides (Jun wasn't interested in doing, only in watching), and a nice play area.

Ali came over afterwards and we spent a nice evening together.

I make Weeknight Roast Chicken (even though it was the weekend) and Salt Potatoes. I had recently posted a photo of potatoes in a pot on Instagram and someone asked if I was making Syracuse Salt Potatoes... I had never eaten or even heard of Syracuse Salt Potatoes, so of course I had to rectify that situation! Oh, so good, and so EASY!

I stayed up late on Saturday night, setting in the sleeves of Gin's Beatrice Top. On a roll, I continued the sewing up on Sunday morning while I had my coffee. I found a button, crocheted a loop, and voila! It's finished, and delivered to Ali this morning.

I love that rolled neckline, and the gathers are so sweet! I crocheted a chain for the button loop instead of making I-cord. It was really a fun little knit and I'll definitely make another... maybe a solid color. It's my first time using that particular yarn and I love it -- so soft! Also, machine wash and dry.

Bewitched by the magic that is mattress stitch, I found myself wanting to do it some more, so I pulled out...

Oblique! This sweater is from Knitty, Fall 2007. Yes, 2007. I started in December of that year! The last time it saw the light of day was February 2010 when it was on my list of contenders for the 2010 Knitting Olympics (my event was "finishing"); I'd made progress, but it didn't cross the finish line. And it's been sitting for over 7 years! It's not going to fit me anymore, at least not buttoned up, but it's getting finished and it'll surely fit someone!!

Jun has turned a corner, and is all of a sudden very engaging with and attentive to his little sister.

He makes sure her legs are straight, (nearly strangle-)holds her on the big slide. "Isn't that fun, Gin?"

Rusty had some errands to run on Saturday and I decided to ride along; we both packed a bag with the idea that we'd stay overnight if we found a place that beckoned.

Naturally, I packed an extra bag full of yarn.

Yes, I brought all this yarn!

After our scheduled stops in Mishicot & Algoma, we wandered. We found lunch, stumbled across some history...

It was a gorgeous day, so we found some beautiful vistas, too.

We decided to stop for a root beer float at Frosty Tip in Dyckesville and talk about where we'd like to end up for the evening. As we turned off the by-pass, I spotted Sunset Shores, which looked pretty good -- and here we are; I gave a call and we nabbed the last available room.

Provisions (we weren't very prepared).

We found a place for a light supper, then settled in to enjoy sunset at the beach. We socialized with a fellow guest, and watched the sky for meteors -- alas, I did not see a single one! I've seen quite a few "shooting stars" over the years, though, and no doubt I will see more... it was a gorgeous evening for stargazing.

We were up and out the door early. Only :45 from home, we walked through the back door at 9 a.m. and put on a pot of coffee!

After breakfast, I gave my Forest Mystery shawl a soak while I biked to the store, and pinned it out when I got back. It's HUGE -- much bigger than my blocking mat! So cozy.

Then I did a little tidying, a little laundry, a little cleaning & tossing out... and, other than cooking supper, I took the rest of the day off!

I'd begun knitting Larissa Brown's Woman Must Make Her Own Arrows in the Saturday sunset (above), and spent much of yesterday knitting and figuring out "where this arrow wants to go."

The shawl begins with a couple of knit triangles. This is Triangle #1 and, after some trial & error/knitting & ripping, I think this is the palette and the direction it's going. The Madelinetosh Unicorn Tails weren't in my original pile o' yarn for this project, but they are perfect in more ways than one -- notice all the "arrowheads" on the labels? This is a fun project for play and for using up a bunch of leftovers and little skeins. I'm already thinking about Triangle #2!

*Last time I made this, I used 4 eggs instead of 2; this time I used 6; next time, I'll try 6 again but eliminate (or greatly cut back) the flour.

My nephew Sam, Brian's eldest, married the love of his life on Saturday. He fell in love with Anna within seconds of meeting, and just "knew." He began saving for the engagement ring after their second date!

The wedding was held in the rooftop garden at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, and it was lovely. Anna is gorgeous, and made a stunning bride.

The photographer was just on the other side of that greenery while I creeped to get this lovely image of Sam & Anna dancing.

Oh my goodness, the DANCING!!

Much to their amusement, I told the boys during Auntie Camp about Sam's late-night surprise performance at my brother's wedding, 16 years ago, shocking everyone -- no one more than his father -- by dancing a joyful solo to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." Sam had been as relentless in requesting the song as the DJ had been in resisting, but it was finally spun at the end of the night and I am not kidding when I say that jaws hit the floor.

The DJs on Saturday were also resistant, but Mack was collecting names and, well... Kate & I were 29 & 30 on the petition, I believe. Haha! Resistance is futile. Finally, they played the record and people crowded the dance floor -- including Sam and his brothers for a reprise.

And inspiration... the youngest of them were shy at first.

Addie & Ann. It all starts with one move (oh, the orange socks)!!

Addie & Dylan. A few hours later!!

There was no stopping them. Solos, trios, quartets, crowds; with their mother, aunt, brothers, cousins; they danced all night and it was delightful.

I arrived home early Sunday afternoon and took a nap! After that, I relaxed. Perfect Sunday afternoon activities, if you ask me.

And then I made dinner. Roasted Tomatoes & Cipollini Onions with White Beans from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, which I nabbed last week from Ann's pile that was destined for Half-Price Books.

It was delicious, pretty easy to put together, and so good. "I can't stop thinking about it" good!!

This was the second audio book that I've "read," and I enjoyed it very much -- love a memoir read by the author. I've enjoyed Anthony Bourdain on TV and though I'm sure I'd have heard his voice in my head as I read the words, it was trul...